Vessel-cleaning machine.



D. s; RUNNLS. VESSEL GLEANING 1110111111:.l 1,076,066.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 22, 1912.

Patented 001;. 21, 1913 4 SHEBTPSHET 1.

l j@ A /3 mm* 1j 1.11 I Z0 ,7 y f l /6 [5 v v 'lllIl D. S. RUNNELS.-

, VESSEL CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATIONy FILED NOV. 22, 1912.

Pawntea 0111.211913.

4 SHEETS-BHEET Z.

D. S. RUNNELS. VESSEL CLEANING MAGEINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1912.

v Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

4 SHEETS-'SHEET 3.

l m1 b,

o Si wf @ow/a' D. S. RUNNELS.

VESSEL CLEANING MACHINE. APPLICATION 'FILED Nov'. z2, 1912.

, 1,076,066. 1 Patented 00u. 21, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

DAVID s. nUnNELs, or APPL-cron, Wisconsin.

VESSEL-@Esame MACHINE.

s @oceanen of Leners Patent.

Application ined November 22, 19'12. serial No. 732,271'.

To all 'whom il mul collec/m.'

Be it known tiat i, DAVID S. RUNNELS, a citizen et' the United Sta-tes, and resident vt' Appleton.` in the county of Outaganiie and State oi lllisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vessel.- Cleaning Machines; and I do hereby declart` that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention refers to vessel cleaners gen44 erally. its primary obgect being to provideI a simple, effective, economical and durablll means for washing, rinsing and, it desired, steriliziug` such vessels, whereby they are put in practically a germ-proof condition preparatory to serving as containers for liquids that :irc most sensitive and susceptible to contamination.

Specific objects of my invention are to provide contractible and expansible. scrubbing' brushes whereby they may be readily inserted and withdrawn from the mouths of vessels to be cleaned, and also to provid;x in conjunction withsaid brushes an eXteriorly arranged set for scrubbing the outer surfaces of the vessels; to provide means for positively rotating the brushes, it being understood that each set. of interior brushes are shaped to conform to the contour and corners of the vessels, whereby said vessel corners which are most susceptible to foreign deposits are thoroughly scoured; to provide a fluid ejector nozzle that is centrally disposed with relation to the group of brushes, whereby the vessels are subjected to a spray incidental to a scrubl'iing` operation; to provide a simple and economical valve-controlled Huid supply pipe that.. communicates with the, nozzle, whereby hot, soapy water und rinsing water is successively dischar 'ed into the vessel by movements of the va Ye from a normally 'closed position; to provide simple and economical means for supporting and chucking one or a series of vessels in concentric relation with corresponding Sets of brushes, whereby the vessels` are held against rotation while. they are scrubbed and cleansed; to provide a simple arrangement of levers in connection with the machine vwhereby the. various operations are controlled conveniently from a position 'assinned by the operator.

In selecting and illustrating one means of carrying out my invention l have incorporated a machine for washing a pair of v`es= in the torni of milk ca ns,- but it should L with a valve-casing a be understood that the machine may be designed to operate upon one or a series of vessels, or it may be constructed to meet the requirements. 'for cleaning containers such as milk bottles or analogous articles.

W'ith the above and other minor objects in View the invention consists in `certain )eculiarities of construction and combination of parts as hereinafter set forth with reference to the accompanying` drawings and subsequently claimed.

In the drawings Figure l represents a sectional elevation of a. vessel-cleaning machine embodying the features of my invention, the section being indicated by line. l-l of Fig.

Q, which machine is designed especially for..

cleanino` milk cans or other vessels of laree 4capacity; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View ol the machine., the section being indicated by line .-2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a detailed plan View of the vessel-supporting and chuckin'g means with parts in section to more clearly illustrate structural features; Fig. l, an enlarged detailed sectional View of the scrubbing' brushes and their connected mechanism, the same being illustrated eX- panded in their working position within a can, the section being indicated by line 44 of Figs. 6 and 7 Fig. 5, asimilar sectional vi'ew of the brush mechanism, the section being taken upon a plane at a right angle to the plane upon whichl Fig. .fl is taken, the section beingY indicated by line 5--5 of Fig. G; Fig. 6, a sectional plan View of the ln'ushmechanism, the section being indicated by line 6 6 of Fim i; Fig. 7, another sectional plan View o? the said mechanism, the section being indicated by line 77 of Fig. il; Fig. 8,`an enlarged sectional view of a fluid-controlling valve having the water supply tanks and pump diagrammatically illustrated in connection With the same, whereby one :torni of the circulating system is disclosed, and Fig. 9 a def tailed cross-section of my preferred form of brush'. 3

Referring bylcharacters to the drawin s, lvrepre'sents a bed provided with vertical y disposed boxes 2, each of which forms a bearing for a sleeve' 3 that is revolubly mounted about a liquid ejector nozzle 4, each of which, as shown, is nonrotatory andentends below the sleeve for a pipe connection 5,- to a supplylpipe G, As best shown in Figs. 2 and 8 the supply-pipe 6 communicates haring a rocker valve monnlefl heiiin. *fflomnilinioziing willi the vulve-freising T upon oijlpossiljo sides of ihe Supply npei are :i mir of iieeilpipes S) :ind l) reepeelively. ile leed-pipe 9, is inrliinteil by floiled lines in, the diagram Fig. 8? Con'nnlniieales 'with one oil2 a pair of Cylinders ol :i pump ll, a Stretch of: Seial pipe heiner exieniloil from ihe cylinder lo a. snpply-innk l2 which ie :wronged in this in- Szinie :ie n, vonhzineif for hot, soapy cleansing water. The supply-pipe l() is similarly vonneooil io the oihei' eylinilea' of the pomp ll, :mil :i nini( 12'? which hulk, in this instance, is provided, as a container *for rinsing wntei. The valve-easing 7 has aileo Conneoiei'i lheiel'o ife'inn pipes 9 nml 10", The pipe 9'? :is oxpieiifefl by dofecl linee in the diagram, connected io the hinlz 12 anal il'e oori'osponcling i'eiiin pipe l0 is similarly connected to ihe sloizige moli lf2. Thus il; will he Seen lhut :i pipe Circuit iS established heh-,veen'ihe pomp zznil enel] flink.y whereby he i'ospeiive Poniente of Seial twinks may he ilh'eeied into `the supply pipe by manipula tii n of l'he .'elie 8. lt iS apparent from the ilingi'fini thai' should the pump he eoniniionsly openi'eil :incl the Valve 8 he in .iis noi'n :nel cloeecl poen-ion, as shown, the 'feed snp ply-pipe is ."ii' ofi from pipe l'ilfovvever the vulve iii hiey position hns eehihlisherl commiiniinlion hei'ween pipes il :incl 9 of the eheiihil'ing syeien ol J(he Stoizig'e huil; l2 and :i lso between pipes 10 and 10" of the circulaiing system of the tank 12. yThe pump will thug ifmisehe 'Huid 'roniianh l2 lo flow from said ienl 4into the pnlnp'eyliniler and ii'oin thence it is: discharged info the velveoaeingf :incl i'eiii'neci to the ianl through pipe El. Simultaneously lnicl eonl'eined in the inni.' 1 9 will he caused to eiifonleie from sziiil mnh through pipe l0 zo he olvooneing sind, fi'oin thence through pf 10 Vhzioli: to the enk. Should it he desii'ecl o :seeehlish coninninioeiion hetweeniiho soapy, hoi: wafer supply tank 12 and the supply pipe 6, e Slight movement of 'the 'veine 8 will on pipe 6 and pipe 9. Hence the pump will cauee the hot, soapy cleansing Walzer to How from tank 1Q :incl he forced fom he monili of pipe 9 into the mouth of pipe S. flee seine heiner discharged from both .oiihe ejector nozzles. 'Ii is also apparent tliel; in a rinsing;-

olf the return pipe 9 coincident io esiahlish-y mg communication between seid supplyis :i hevileil hevelefl wheel shinvn in Figs. unal 2, heilig Seein'eo lo :i power-shaft l5 hat joinimleil in boxes pi'oi'i'jeii ei oooh end of 'i'he hecl. The shzi'. Curries lihe usual drive mille?)v 1"? (hat controlled hy n. olnif'h member '18 whereby Said pulley is loilrml ino o1.' ii'eefl from ih'e Sheff. The einloh neinbei' 'iS is uoimteil hy 21 pivot/eil :mn llhnving; pinsI llm are ei'lzaplieil lo engage Jrhe Gemmell enil 20 of :i leve;` Q1, whieh level' is iigiflly Ser'nrml lo :i i'ookshnft QQ, i'he sinne heilig eniehly join-nailed in ears with which the he( l 'of ihe niaohine is providefl.

li/lonnecl upon each Slnfl 'e 3 :snel in spline Connection iheiewih is head 23 having e fimvnivei'ly eX'enClecl Yooved collar 24, each of which collars is adapted to receive pins 'that ere eeii'iecl hyvspnnner arms the said :irme heiner monniecl upon' a. rook-simil 26 flint is jomimled in emes thai eenil lipmu'flly from The fece oi the table-her. These firms :we nol'nallly'held clownwardly by one oi' morne eoile springe Q5 Whieh eennect seid onine :incl the heel. The rook-shaft QG has also secured hereto en eini 28 tha is linked to e. foot-needle Q9`r`v which fooi ri'enflle le Secured io the ro'clesha'l',

lii'om 'he foregoing. ileseiipi'ion it will he oheei'veil lhzii when power is applied lo he fooi-treadl 'through ilS leven anal link oonneetions eeeh heeel `'will be sensed to move pinion il limi. moslim ii'iih :i '15, ih-- saiiil lui'eleil wheels, :is

'l Le spring: control. o he/ positions shown in l? 2. 4 nml 5, this "needle movement servine' also in, eonafe Jfhe clinch member i8* whereby pon/ei' is epplie to the ehai lr6 foin the pulley,

Eifel-Ting' i'io Fifi. i of he (imwinge, ihn heef! is ilhieli'eed heine; proviilecl Wi'wh pii'oed @nils of links ill.' the oppfjmite ends o1'.l snirl links being eonnefieilfi'o :irme 32 that have their innei 'entlepivoiofl to eers hnt exencl from the sleeve il. rThe up per open encl of the Sleeve 3 ie also pi'oviilefl with ears 38 that have pivotecl thereto hoitom brush sections 34, the outer enfle of 'which 'brush sections are in hinge oonnecfion Wih side Wall brush seo/tions that have -1 tlieii lowerenils oivotecl to `he outer eniis of lie :iiine 32. i ment impniefl to *the heml Wi-lh *hrough its lini eonneeions Wii'h 'the cause :i ietieetion of the brush' Sections, whereby the? #vill he drawn iniinrill'v to ifhe position Ill-5 indicated in dotted lines. lt will also he observed that one of the bottom brush seotionsl is provided with an extension et its out'ei'end, Whezehy its tufts will c snugly into the bottom Corner (zi-:i vessel EL which vessel is in the forni of :i eienclarcl milleean. @ne of he eide-well brush seeions 35 is similarly povicleii with en npwemleze tension which engages the bottom corner of the vessel to thus insure cleansing the entire surface, these opposite corner extensions et the brush sections being adapted to overlap.

when the said sections are.collapsed.

ln order to thoroughly scour the neck and tiered mouth of the can I provide a pair of non-collapsible brush sections 3G, which brush sections are secured to the head and adapted to engage the inner Walls of the neck and mout-h when the head is moved upwardly to its Working position, the said non-collapsible brush sections conforming to the contour of the neck and mouth. curved Walls connecting the body of the can end its neck,v comprisinfr the shoulder portion B, are scrubbed by correspondingly curved brush sections 37, which brush sections, as best illustrated in Fig. have their lower ends pivoted between wings 3S that extend from the slee-ve 3, the said shoulder brush sections being preferably arranged at right angles to the Wall, bottom and neck brush sections. Fingers 3l) extend inwardly from the shoulder brush sectionsy 37 for engagement with tappet-pins 40, all, which tappet-pins are spaced apart and supported by tongues l2 that extend upwardly from the head '.23 between the wings 38. Hence it will be observed that when the head is retracted or drawn downwardly upon the sleeve, engagement of the tappet pins Lil with the fingers 39 will cause the shoulder brush sections to retract to the position shown in dotted lines Fig. 5, and when the head is moved upwardly to its Working position the tappet pins il() will engage the lingers 39 and thus expand said brushes to thefposition illustrated in full lines Fig.' 5.

From the foregoing description it is apparent thatv when the vessel is placed in position for scrubbing the brushes are all rctracted and hence said brushes can he read-l ily inserted within the mouth ot the vessel preparatory to movement of the head, whereby said brushes are expanded to a working position.

lt is also desirable to cleanse the exterior surfaceot vessels and with this in view l proride two or more sets of brush ineinbers 43, the lower ends of which are provided with apertured Shanks idly secured to studs 44, which studs extend from a ring portion 45 of-the headv 23,

this ring porticnbeing connected at inter- .vals with the body ot' the head by webs 46, thus an interrupted or skeleton conneotion'is formed, whereby drainage from .the body of the can may be effected between 'the ring portion and body portion et said head. Owing to the fact that the outer brush menibers 43 are also rotated 'with the heed and are subjected to more or less twisting strain, it is preferable to provide an upper bracing hoop 47 for said brushes, which lhoop rig- The that are rig-- idly connects the same at this end, thev Yessel or can being adapted to readily drop into position between said brush members. These outer brushes 43 may be arranged to conform to the outer Walls of the can if desired and may also be constructed from )rei-al sections.

The upper end of the ejector nozzle al en tends beyond the sleeve 3 and is provided with an apertured tip d8 through which the supply of water is discharged in a spray,

against the bottom and side walls of the vessel. ln' order to more ally break up and distribute the discharged liquid into spray-like forni, .I have shown a revoluble deflector Wheel 49 that is mounted upon a spindle carried by the cap 48, which deliector Wheel is provided with vanes that vreceive the impact from the jets of Water discharged through the cap, to thusrotate the s ame and cause the Wat-er to Whirl in spiral f0rmation.

In order te provide 'etlieientvessel-sup porting and chucking 11i-cans. whereby said vessels are alined and lce'lred against rotation with relation to the brushes, l provide u vessel support 50. which vessel support is in the form ot' a table having apertures through which the vessels are inserted, the apertures heilig providedivilh flared rims 5l that serve to direct vessels more readily into their respgC/ l pglsitions, The vessel supporting table 50 is rigidly connected to standards 52 that extend upwardly from the hed l, said standards being secured in socketed ears that constitute part of the bed. Surrounding the vessel apertures of the supporting table and exlendingrtrem the lower face thereof are circular apertured water channels 53, which channels communicate ivith each other and are connected by a branch pipe 5ft to the main supply pipe (3, the latter, as best shown in Fig. L. being connected to the supporting table through a bracketextension. Referring. again to Fig. 4, when the vessel is inserted through the supporting table' and in position to be cleaned, therim of its mouth is adapted to be engaged and cen tered Aby the inner face or' a flared ring 55, which ring isrevolnbly mounted upon suitable ball-hearings that are seated in the ring portion Ll5 of 'the head. Thus .acentering and supporting means is had at the mout-h end ot the can, it being' observed that owing tothe ring 55 being loosely mounted upon the head said ring may remain at rest incidental lo rotation of the head.

When the flanged button; C of the can en the rim aperture ot` the supporting table, it is apparent that said.can will. be' centered in alinenient with the ejector nos sie and in order to loci( 'or chuck the can in this centered position l prm'ide. a. pair of eli'ectu- Sie` lever 58 to the position shown in Fig. 3 otJ i the drawings will cause the chucking jaws 5G to move in opposite directions and thus simultaneously chuck or lock the vessels against rotation, pressure of the chucking jaws being opposed by suitable cushion strips 59 with which the rimmed apertures of the table may be provided. Thus the friction grip ol the vessels will not only prevent the latter from rotating, but serve tol center them in axial alinementwith their ejector nozzles, whereby the brushes when rotated will elfectually perform their itunetion.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that this machine may be employed for washing bottles or any other containers with equal etliciency and that the machine is pablo ot being constructed with as many brush spindles as the co ditions may warrant and .also that l may in some instances dispense with the outside scrubbing brushes. Furthermore in straight or tapered wall vessels the curved shoulder brushes can be dispensed with and the wall and bottom brushes made to contorni to the inner contour oi the vessels, this arrangement being a more simplified example of the machine.

Referring to Fig. 9 of the drawings l have shown my preferred form of brush, which brush comprises a ,wood baching-piece G2 -thatis detachably secured to a permanent metallicV strip'l by'a'` Series of bolts G4, which pass through the backing piece. By thisisimple construction the brushes can be removed and renewed quickly and economically.

lu 'the operation of the 1nachine,rit is obvious that after the vessels have been dropped into the apertures of t-he supporting table, they are clinched by a. manual operation, the internal scrubbing brushes being then inY a'collapsed condition. The operator next presses Vthe vfoot-treadle, which will cause'the internal `brushes to expand outwardly into'their working positions, due to the heads being slid upwardly upon their respective sleeves by the lever mechanism. This treadle movement simultaneously throws the driving pulley into clutching engagement with the powershaft and the gear connection between the sleeves and said.

power-shaft will thus cause said sleeve together withthe brushesrotate at the de! lence by this arrangeV Lompoc sircd speed. ln the meantime the operator having depressed the valve handle 8', com*- munie-ation between the tank l2 containing soapy hot water and the supply pipe 6 is established. Thus this water is discharged from the heads of each ejector nozzle, in the form or' a whirling spray which will evenly distribute t-he water about the surfaces that are now being scrubbed by the rapidly rotating brushes. After the scrubbing operation has been completed the position of the valve handle 8 is reversed and communication is thereby established between the rins ing water tank and saidsupply pipe 6, .whereby the interiors of t-he cans are thoroughly rinsed, dra-inageof the water being effected through the drain channel that is formed between the head 23 and the mouth or' said vessel. The operator then relieves the foot-treadle 'from pressure, whereby the springs 25 will r'anse the brushes to retract and simultaneously disconnect the power from shaft 16. Hence the brushes being brought to a standstill and the supply of water or washing fluid being cut off the cans can be readily stripped from the brushes after manipulation of the chucking lever 5S to unlock said chucling members 56. The cans are then lifted bodily from the supporting table. When theinterior brushes are being revolved it. is lapparent that the exterior brushes d3 will rotate therewith and thus thoroughly cleanse the outside of the vessels, said brushes working in conjunction with jets ot water which are discharged upon the tace of 'the cans through the circular channels 53 that communicate with the main supply pipe l claim:

l. A vessel-cleaning machine comprising a fluid nozzle, a rotatory sleeve mounted upon the nozzle, a head in slidablc union with the sleeve, interior and exterior fixed brushes carried by the head, collapsible and Y expansible brushes in link connection with the head, valve-controlled water-supply means in communication with the nozzle, and means for supporting and chucliing vessels to be cleaned.

' 2. A vessel-cleaning machine comprising a iiuid nozzle, a rotatory sleeve mounted upon the nozzle, a head in slidable union with the sleeve, external lixed brushes carried bythe head, collapsible and expansible brushes in link connection Vwith vthe head, valve-controllerv water-supply means in comnn'mieation with the nozzle, and means communication with the nozzles, and means o suiporting and chucking vessels to be 'cleane 'A 4, A vessel-cleaningmachine comprising a bed, one or more'uid nozzles supportedl thereby, sleeves A revolubly mounted uponI Vthe nozzles, heads ,revoluble with and in slidable union with the sleeves, means for adjusting the heads longitudinally of the sleevessectional brushes in hinge connection with said sleeves, links connecting the sectional brushes and heads, means for imparting rotation tothe sleeves, a valve-oontrolled supply-pipe in communication with the nozzles, and means for holding vessels to be cleaned against rotation.

5. A vessel-cleaning machine comprising a bed, a stationary fluid nozzle supported thereby, a rotatory sleeve mounted upon the nozzle, a head in slidable union With the sleeve, means for sliding said head 1011-' gitudinally ofthe sleeve, sets of brushes in hinge connection with each other and in hinge connectionwith the sleeve, means connecting the' brushes and head, a supporting and chueking means for the vessels to be cleaned, a driving gear for the head,- and a valve-controlled supply means in communication with the nozzle.

6. A 'vessel-cleaning machine comprising a fluid nozzle, a ,rotary sleeve mounted upon .the nozzle, a head in slidable union with'the sleeve, means for imparting longitudinal movement of the headV upon the sleeve, col.-

lapsible ande'xpansible brushes inlink conf nection with said head, a` valve-controlled -water supply means in communication with' the nozzle, andA means `for slpporting and ehucki'ng vessels to be oleane f 7. A vessel-cleaning machine comprising a stationary {luid-nozzle, a rotatory sleevel mounted upon the nozzle, a head in slidable l union vwith the 'sleeve but rotatory therewith, bottom scrubbing brushes in hinge connection with .the sleeve, side-wall scrubbing brush-sections in hin-ge connection with the bottom brush sections links connecting the" brush sections, other head and' side-Wall:- brush sections in hinge connection with said sleeve, and contractible and exp ansible means carried by the head for said `other I brush sections.

In testimony that I claim the fore oing -I have hereunto set my hand at'App eton in the county of Outagamie and State 0f- Wisconsin in the presence of tw' witnesses.

DAVID s. RUNNELS.4

Witnesses: 4

MORRIS F. BARTEAU, JOHN J. SHERMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing Washington, D. c.

the Commissioner of Patents, 

